Romer entered the race last January with three advantages, which the Denver Post endorsement will strengthen.
His last name being a statewide political brand gave him the highest name identification of the field. A recent poll conducted by the political website ColortadoPols.com confirmed Romer’s name identification advantage. His 51 percent name identification was accompanied by the highest favorability of the top five candidates (40%) and the largest early voter share – 24 %.
His second advantage was financial connections among the big donor Democratic patrons. And, indeed, he has substantially beaten the field in fundraising (latest total: $1 million). Finally, he started with a strong network of Democratic Party operatives accumulated from years of party activism (including helping John Hickenlooper) and, of course, association with his father, Roy, who left office with a good reputation and is active in the campaign.
The Denver Post endorsement will strengthen his name identification, add to his fundraising and attract even more political operatives who want to back a winner.
The endorsement of the only metro daily adds considerable momentum to the campaign and makes Romer now the candidate to beat. The Denver Post is the most powerful media organization vetting the candidates. It brings a credibility to a candidate who is little known outside highly attentive voters. Newspaper endorsements, often from the Rocky Mountain News, have had major impact on Denver mayoral races. Pena, Webb and Hickenlooper each got the Rocky’s endorsement, made the runoffs and became the ultimate winners. And, the Post’s editorial strategy tends to micromanage the campaign environment, usually to the end of helping their endorsees and to the disadvantage of the remaining field.
See 9News articles:
Denver mayor race heats up with two weeks until ballots
Denver Post endorses Chris Romer for Denver mayor
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